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Child Stories and Rhymes 

FOR 

THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF NURSERY 
AND KINDERGARTEN 


EMI LIE POULSSON 


AUTHOR OF “nursery FINGER PLAYS,” “ IN THE CHILD’s WORLD,” “THROUGH THE FARMYARD GATE,” ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED BY L. J. BRIDGMAN 


2nd COPY, 
1898 . 


131898 

of 


TWO COPIES RECEIVED. 
BOSTON O ■ 

LOTHROP PUBLISHING COMPANY 

L- 


(>007 


Copyright, 1898, 

BY 

Lothrop Publishing Company. 


All rights reserved. 





CONTENTS 


Paoe. 

THE RHYME OF THE BOWL OF MILK . 7 

BABY’S BREAKFAST 11 

THE BREAKFAST SONG . . . .13 

BABY’S TROUBLES ENDED .... 15 

THE STORA" OF BABY’S PICTURE-BOOK. IG 
THE STORA' OF RABAT’S PLAA^THINGS . 18 


A RIDING SONG 20 

RABAT’S RIDE *21 

BEDTIME SONG 22 

A LULLABA' 24 

‘ THE STORA" OF RABAT’S BLANKET . . 26 

THE STORA^ OF RABAT’S PILLOW . . 28 

THE WONDERFUL HAATMAKING . . 30 


THE WONDERFUL STORA" OF BAA-BAA. 32 

BUN AS DRIVER 34 

NIFTA' AND SCRUBBA^ 36 

WHAT WAS THE TROUBLE? ... 38 
BUN AND HIS WONDER-BALL . . .40 

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLACK HORSE, 42 
NAUGHTA" IN NAP-TIxME . . . .44 

THE TALKING CLOCK 46 

BUN AT THE FARM 48 


Page. 


BUN AND MOTHER HEN .... 50 
A SANTA CLAUS STORA’^ . . . .52 

HOW BUN CAUGHT A BIRD . . . 54* 

BUN’S HAPPY EASTER 56 

THE LOVABLE CHILD 58 

POLITENESS 59 

THE LITTLE READER 60 

A LESSON IN NUMBERS . . . .62 

MAMMA’S GAME 64 

THE TOA'S AT LIBERTA' . . . .66 

OUT AGAIN . 68 

THE DOLL’S PLAN 70 

THE PARIS PIG 72 


THE EGG THAT HATCHED BROWNIES . 74 
THE BLACK HORSE TELLS A STORY . 76 

ALMOST CAUGHT 78 

THE FROG WHO WOULD A-HOPPING 



GO ^ . 

. 

. 80 

THE 

VOYAGE OF THE 

WATER-LILY 

. 82 

HOW 

THE WAX DOLL 

SAVED PEGGY 

84 

THE 

MOTHER EAGLE’S 

STORY . 

. 86 

A JOLLA" VISITOR . 


. 88 




Child Stories and Rhymes 




Oh! here is the Milk, so sweet and white, 
All ready for dear little Baby. 


This is the Mother who, with delight. 
Poured into the bowl the Milk so white, 
All ready for dear little Baby. 


This is the Milkmaid who worked with a 
Her pail with the Cow’s good milk to fill, 
To take to the Mother who, with delight. 
Poured into the bowl the Milk so white. 
All ready for dear little Baby. 


will. 


THE RHYME OF THE BOWL OF MILK. 



This is the Cow that gave milk each day 
To Molly, the Milkmaid, who worked with a will 
Her pail with the Cow’s good milk to fill. 

To take to the Mother who, with delight. 
Poured into the bowl the Milk so white. 

All ready for dear little Baby. 

This is the dry and sweet-smelling Hay, 

That was fed to the Cow that gave milk each day 
To Molly, the Milkmaid, who worked with a 
will 

Her pail with the Cow’s good milk to fill. 

To give to the Mother who, with delight. 
Poured into the bowl the Milk so white, 

All ready for dear little Baby. 

This is the Grass (in the field it grew. 

Helped by the sunshine and rain and dew) — 
The grass that was dried into sweet-smelling 
Hay, 

And fed to the Cow that gave milk each day 
To Molly, the Milkmaid, who worked with a 
will 

Her pail with the Cow’s good milk to fill, 

To take to the Mother who with delight. 
Poured into the bowl the Milk so white. 

All ready for dear little Baby. 



THE RHYME OF THE BOWL OF MILK. 


This is the Mower who worked at the farm, 
Swinging his scythe with his strong right arm, 
Mowing the fields of Grass (that grew, 

Helped by the sunshine, and rain, and dew), — 
The grass that was dried into sweet-smelling Hay, 
And fed to the Cow that gave milk each day 
To Molly, the Milkmaid, who worked with a will 
Her pail with the Cow’s good milk to fill. 

To take to the Mother who, with delight. 
Poured into the bowl the Milk so white. 

All ready for dear little Baby. 


lO 




BABY’S BREAKFAST. 


BABY’S BREAKFAST. 



Baby wants his breakfast, 

Oh! what shall I do? 

Said the cow, “I’ll give him 
Nice fresh milk — moo-oo/^'’ 


For the Baby’s break- 
fast — 

Take it now, I beg!’ 


And the buzzing bee 
said, 

“Here is honey sweet. 

Don’t you think the Baby ^ 
Would like that to eat?” 


Said the hen “ Cut-dak 
cut ! 

I have laid an egg 


1 1 


BABY’S BREAKFAST. 



Then the baker kindly 

Brought the Baby’s bread. 
'‘Breakfast is all ready,” 
Baby’s mother said; 


"But before the Baby 
Eats his dainty food, 

Will he not say ‘ Thank 
you ! ’ 

To his friends so good?” 


He knew 


Then the bonny 
Baby 

Laughed and 
laughed 
away. 

That was all the 
"Thank you” 
how to say. 


12 


THE BREAKFAST SONG. 


THE BREAKFAST SONG. 



At five o’clock he milks the 
cow, 

The busy farmer’s man. 
At six o’clock he strains the 
milk 

And pours it in the can. 


At seven o’clock the milk- 
man’s horse 

Must go to town — “get up!” 
At eight o’clock Nurse Karen 
pours 

The milk in Baby’s cup. 



THE BREAKFAST SONG. 



At five o’clock the Baby 
sleeps 

As sound as sound can be. 
At six o’clock he laughs and 
shouts, 

So wide awake is he. 


At seven o’clock he’s in his 
bath, 

At eight o’clock he’s drest. 
Just when the milk is ready, 
too, 

So you can guess the rest. 






BABY’S TROUBLES ENDED. 



BABY’S TROUBLES ENDED. 


There once was a Baby 
Who wanted to play, 

But Kitty and Doggy 
Had both run away.. 

H is blocks tumbled over, 

H is lamb wouldn’t squeak, 
And out of his dolly 

The saw-dust would leak. 

H is drum had a hole in, 

H is soldiers wotcld fall. 
He’d broken his wagon. 

And lost his nice ball ; 

His “Jumbo” was stupid. 

His gun wouldn’t shoot, 

H is reins were all tangled, 

H is horn wouldn’t “toot.” 


And Nursie was busy. 

And mother was out — 

So there was poor Baby 
Almost in a pout. 

When in came Big Sister 
“O Baby, just look! 

I’ve brought something for you, 
A nice picture book!” 

And then little Baby 
Had suck a nice time ! 
And while he was laughing 
At picture and rhyme. 

In walked his dear pussy 
And little dog Jack, 

Nurse mended his playthings. 
And mother came back ! 


15 


THE STORY OF BABy’s PICTURE-BOOK. 


THE STORY OF BABY’S PICTURE-BOOK. 




One day I went strolling — 
And what did I see ? 

A man who was busy 
As busy could be. 


They called him an Artist, 
And all that he saw 
He could with his pencil 
Most cunningly draw. 


Cats, kittens and doggies, 
Birds, butterflies, bees, 

H ens, chickens and horses, 
And flowers and trees. 



i6 



THE STORY OF BABy’s PICTURE-BOOK. 



And houses and churches, 
And sun, moon and stars. 
And sailboats and steamships, 
And engines and cars. 


And people and children. 
At work and at play. 
This Artist could draw 
In a v/onderful way,! 


And why was he working 
From morning till night? 
Why, just to make pictures 
For Baby’s delight! 




17 


Ik 


THE STORY OF BABy’s PLAY-THINGS. 


THE STORY OF BABY’S PLAY-THINGS. 


5 


Said the Ivory Ring: 

‘‘ I can tell a strange thing 
That perhaps you don’t know; 
But — a long time ago — 

In an Elephant’s tusk did this 
ivory grow.” 


Said the new Noah’s Ark 
With its animals: “Hark! 

If your wooden toys please, 
You must thank the good 
T rees, 

For they give all the wood to 
make such things as these.” 


Said the big Rubber Ball : 

“ Yes, and that is not all! 

For a Tree far away 
Gave its sap — so they say — 
To make soft rubber toys for 
the wee Babies’ play.” 



i8 



THE STORY OF BABY S PLAY-THINGS. 



Said the little Tin Pail : 

“And now I’ll tell a tale! 
’Twas the Miner who found 
Me at first underground, 

And the Tinsmith who made 
me so shiny and round.” 



THE WORIE 



Said the pretty pink Shell ; 

“ Many things I could tell 
Of the wonderful Sea 
Where my home used to be, 
And the queer little creature 
who once lived in me ! ” 


Baby dear, it is true ! 

All mankind works for you ; 
And the Creatures and Trees, 
And the Earth and the Seas, 
One and all give up something 
the Baby to please. 




19 


A RIDING SONG. 


A RIDING SONG. 



I SEE a big horse, and a child 
is astride, 

And where, and oh where, 
shall the little one ride? 

Away to the palace he gal- 
lops afar. 


And out to the park where 
the royal dogs are. 

There, under a bench, gnaw- 
ing hard at their chain. 
They bark and they growl, and 
then both bark again. 

The little dog barks in a fine 
little voice, 

''Bow-wow-wow 
The bigger dog barks with a 
very loud noise! 

“Bow, wow, wow!’’ 

“BOW, WOW, WOW!” 



20 


BABY’S RIDE. 



RIDING TO THE MILLER S HOUSE. 


Ride and ride away 
Till we reach the millers house; 

No one is at home, 

But a morsel of a mouse. 


The miller grinds the corn 
For Bobby and for Sue; 

The rooster flaps his wings, 
Singing “ Cock-a-doodle-do ! ” 


BED-TIME SONG. 


BED-TIME SONG. 

Sleep, my baby, while 
I sing 

Bed-time news of every- 
thing. 

Chickens run to mother 
hen ; 




Kittens cuddle in a 
heap — 

Baby, too, must go to 
sleep ! 



Piggy curls up in the pen. 
In the field, all tired with 
play, 

Quiet now the lambkins 
stay. 



22 


BED-TIME SONG. 




Sleep, my baby, while I sing 
Bed-time news of everything. 
Now the cows from pasture 
come; 

Bees fly home with drowsy 
hum. 

Little birds are in the nest, 
Under mother - bird’s soft 
breast. 

Over all soft shadows creep — 

Baby now must go to sleep. 


Sleep, my baby while I 
sing 

Bed-time news of every- 
thing. 

Sleepy flowers seem to nod. 

Drooping toward the. dewy sod; 

While the big sun’s fading light 

Bids my baby dear good- 
night. 

Mother loving watch will 
keep; 

Baby now must go to sleep. 



A LULLABY. 


A LULLABY. 

The sunlit day has passed away, 
The stars begin to show. 
Bedtime is here, and Baby dear 
To dreamland now must go. 


But ere he goes, we’ll toast his toes. 
And cosy let him rest 
On mother’s arm; then, snug and warm. 
We’ll tuck him in his nest. 

Across his eyes the lullabies 

Have brought the shadows deep. 
The lashes brown are dropping down. 
Hush! Baby is asleep! 


24 


A LULLABY 






THE STORY OF BABY S BLANKET. 


THE STORY OF BABY’S 



Once a little Baby, 

On a sunny day, 

Out among the daisies 
Took his happy way. 
Little lambs were frisking 
In the fields so green. 
While the fleecy mothers 
All at rest were seen. 


For a while the Baby 
Played and played and 
played ; 

Then he sat and rested 
In the pleasant shade. 
Soon a Sheep came near him. 
Growing very bold. 

And this wondrous story 
T o the Baby told : 



BLANKET. 



26 


THE STORY OF BABY S BLANKET. 




‘‘ Baby's little blanket, 

Socks and worsted ball, 
Winter cap and mittens, 

And his flannels all, 

And his pretty afghan 
Warm and soft and fine, 
Once as wool were growing 
On this back of mine ! 


And the soft bed blankets. 
For his cosey sleep. 

These were also given 
By his friends, the sheep." 
Such the wondrous story 
That the Baby heard : 
Did he understand it ? 

Not a single word! 




27 


THE STORY OF BABy’s PILLOW. 


THE STORY OF BABY’S PILLOW. 



1 hese are the Eggs that were 
put in a nest; 

These are the Goslings in yel- 
low down drest. 



This is the Farm-yard where, 
living in peace, 

All the young Goslings grew 
up to be Geese. 

III, 


Here’s the Goose-family wad- 
) dling about — 

In a procession they always 
walk out. 


jH 

This is the Farmer who said, 

‘‘ Every Goose 

Now has some feathers on, 
ready for use.” 



28 


THE STORY OF BABy’s PILLOW. 



This is the Farmer’s Wife, 
plucking with care 
All of the feathers the Geese 
can well spare. 


This is the Pillow the Mer- 
chant displayed: 

“Yes, of the finest Goose- 
feathers ’tis made.” 


This is the Mother who put on 
its case, 

Laid the wee Pillow away in 
its place. 


This is the Crib with its fur- 
nishings white. 

This the dear Baby who bids 
you “ Good-night.” 







29 


THE WONDERFUL HAY-MAKING. 


THE WONDERFUL HAY-MAKING. 



The squirrel went out in the 
meadow to mow, 

So merry and blithe, 

With his glittering scythe; 

And still as he mowed, he was 
chattering so. 

Oh! the squirrel went out in 
the meadow to mow. 

The raven went with him to 
rake up the hay. 

The rake in his claw; 


Such a sight you ne’er saw! 
And still as he raked he was 
croaking away. 

Oh ! the raven went with him 
to rake up the hay. 



The crow and the cat to the 
meadow went, too. 

The crow dragged the cart. 
And the cat did her part; 

For she drove the hay-cart, and 
said '‘Mew, mew, mew!” 

Oh! the crow and the cat to 
the meadow went, too. 


30 



THE WONDERFUL HAY-MAKING. 



The children went out in the 
meadow to see; 

But squirrel was done, 

And the raven was gone. 


The crow and the pussy cat, 
where could they be? 
Oh! the children went out in 
the meadow to see. 



31 



THE WONDERFUL STORY OF BAA-BAA. 


THE WONDERFUL STORY OF BAA-BAA. 




es.a. is 


5ick- 



BABY BUN. 



One day in 
spring Baby 
Bun’s mam- 
ma said, “ I’m 
going to take 


you to the farm to-day.” 

Baby liked that; and when 
he was ready to go, what do 
you think he had in his hand ? 

“A dolly?” Oh! no. His 
dear little woolly lamb. 

‘‘Why don’t you take your 
new horse, Baby ? ” asked mam- 
ma. “ Doesn’t he want to go ?” 

“ Oh ! yes,” said Baby ; “but 
Baa-Baa is sick, so I must take 
him to-day.” 

Poor Baa-Baa did look 


badly. One ear was gone, one 
leg was broken, and his head 
hung down in a forlorn way. 
He was wrapped in an old 
doll-blanket, and Baby carried 
him very carefully. 

When they got to the farm 
Baby trotted about, looking till 
he found the very greenest, 
freshest grass anywhere near 
the farmhouse. 

“ There, Baa-Baa, eat all 
you want,” said Baby. 

While Baa-Baa stood look- 
ing at the grass, 
but before he 
had begun to 
eat. Farmer 
Robbins came 

that way. FARMER ROBBINS. 

“H ow do you do. Baby 
Bun ? ” said he. “ Come and 
see the Bossy in the barn.” 

Baby looked at Baa-Baa 



32 


THE WONDERFUL STORY OF BAA-BAA. 



THE BOSSY. 


Farmer Robbins said, “Oh! 
you need not worry about him ; 
animals sometimes like best to 
be alone when they eat.” 

So Baby went with the 
farmer to see the Bossy, and 
left Baa-Baa 
to eat the 
fresh tender 
grass as he liked. 

After Baby Bun had seen 
the Bossy, Farmer Robbins 
showed him the pigs and the 
horses and the ducks, until it 
was dinner-time. 

Then, after dinner, Baby 
took a drive with mamma. 
He did not forget Baa-Baa, but 
thought, “He will have plenty 


of time to eat all he wants.” 

When mamma said, “ Now, 
we must go home,” Baby ran 
to get his pet. There stood 
Baa-Baa just where he had 
left him — but oh ! oh ! oh ! — 
he had two ears, his broken foot 
seemed to have grown on again, 
and his head was up just as it 
should be ! 

“ Baa-Baa is all well ! ” 
shouted Baby, “ Baa-Baa is 
all well ! ” 

Baby always thought it was 
the fresh grass that had cured 
his pet, but mamma knew that 
kind Farmer Robbins had 
mended Baa-Baa while Baby 
was at dinner. 



BAA-BAA IS ALL WELL NOW ! 


33 


BUN AS DRIVER. 


BUN AS 

Barney was 
a fat, strong 
little donkey. 
The children 
had a small 
gay cart which 
he could draw, 
so they had 
great fun driv- 
ing about. 
But Baby’s 
mamma al- 

BARNEY. 

ways said 
“No,” when Baby wished to 
go with the children; perhaps 
telling him that Jane, the nurse, 
would take him some time. To 
go with Jane, .however, was not 
what Baby Bun wanted. 

At last. Baby thought he 
would invite some other grown- 
up person to go with himi. 
H is mamma was not well and 
never went to drive, so he first 
asked his dear old grand mam- 


DRIVER. 

ma; but she said, “ I am too 
old.” Then he asked his Aunt 
Helen ; but she said, “ I am 
too busy.” Then he asked his 
Aunt Sue; but she said, “Oh! 
I should be afraid.” 

That was the worst of all, 
Baby Bun thought. He was 
four years old and of course 
he could take care of her. 

One day, 
soon after this, 
his mamma 
had a visitor, 
a lady who 
showed that 
she knew 
Baby was a 
big boy even 
if he did wear 
dresses. So 
Baby walked 

. . BABY BUN AS DRIVER. 

up to her and 

said, “ I should like to take you 
to' drive in the ‘Barney cart.’” 




34 


BUN AS DRIVER. 


Miss Dare was delighted 
and said she would go as soon 
as he and Barney were ready. 

When they got into the cart 
Miss Dare said, “Where are 
we going?” “Well,” said Baby 


go to the stable, and though 
Baby pulled and scolded, to 
the stable they went. “ Never 
mind,” said Miss Dare. “ I 
shall like to visit the stable and 
we can go to the farm another 



Bun grandly, “we’ll go all over 
the farm and out on the main 
road and everywhere.” “That 
will be fine!” said Miss Dare. 

The donkey started. 

“That road leads to the sta- 
ble,” said Baby Bun, “but we 
will go the other way.” 

But when they came to the 
the two roads Barney chose to 


time. How nicely you drive, 
Baby Bun ! ” 

After seeing the horses and 
driving back to the house. Miss 
Dare thanked Baby and told 
mamma and grandmamma and 
the aunties that she had had a 
delightful drive. And you 
may be sure Baby Bun was a 
proud and happy little boy. 


35 


NIFTY AND SCRUBBY. 


NIFTY AND SCRUBBY. 


Nifty, Buns canary, was a 
great dandy and a great pet. 
When Bun’s mamma sat down 
to sew, she often put Nifty’s 



bun’s mamma. 


cage on the seat which extended 
around the bay window. 

Once, when she came back 
after having been out of the 
room a long time, she found 
that Nifty had company! Com- 


pany inside his cage! What 
do you think of that ? 

There sat Nifty on his lower 
perch, and close beside him sat 
the rustiest, dirtiest, scraggiest 
little bit of a mouse that you 
ever saw. 

They made a strange-looking 
pair: Nifty so gay and sleek in 
his yellow coat, and Scrubby 
(as Bun’s mamma named the 
mouse), so shabby and dingy 
in his rough dull fur. 

No one knew how they got 
acquainted; but after this, the 
mouse came almost every day. 

When Nifty’s cage was taken 
down and Bun’s mamma was 
quietly seated in another part 
of the room. Scrubby would 
generally appear. But if he 
did not come soon. Nifty would 
give a soft low chirp and repeat 
it until Scrubby heard the call. 
Then Scrubby would come run- 


36 


NIFTY AND SCRUBBY. 


ning across the room and up 
to the window seat, and, squeez- 
ing himself in between the wires 
of the cage, would scramble up 
on the perch beside Nifty. 

Scrubby was always hungr}^ 
It was never long after he got 
into the cage before he went to 
N ifty’s seed dish to have a feast. 

Nifty would let him eat a 
little while, but when he thought 
Scrubby had had enough, he 
would hop over to him, and, 
catching hold of Scrubby’s long, 
thin tail, nip it with his bill. 

Oh ! how Scrubby hated to 
stop eating ! but oh ! how Nifty 
did hurt his tail ! He always 
had to leave the delicious seed 
and go and play with Nifty. 


After they had had a good 
frolic. Scrubby would squeeze 
between the wires of the cage 



bun’s pets. 


again and scamper away to his 
home which was somewhere 
about the fireplace. 

The mouse came day after 
day, either of his own accord 
or in answer to Nifty’s chirp. 

Wouldn’t you like to see 
Nifty and Scrubby ? 



YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH, SCRUBBY!” 


37 


WHAT WAS THE TROUBLE ? 


WHAT WAS THE TROUBLE? 


Baby Bun and Fritz the dog 
were the best of friends. They 
ran races, tumbled over each 



BABY BUN AND FRITZ. 


other, and had fun all day long. 

When Fritz saw Baby Bun 
coming, he would crouch down 
all ready for a spring, and Baby 
Bun would dash after him ; 
and the boy would laugh so, 
and the dog would bark so, that 
you could hear nothing else. 

But one day, when Fritz as 
usual expected a good play. 
Baby Bun called out, “ Go 
away, Fritz ! keep off ! Don’t 
jump on me ! ” 

Fritz could hardly believe 

38 


his flopping ears ; so he kept 
slowly on his way toward Baby 
Bun. 

But Baby Bun again called 
out, “ Go away ! ” and then 
Fritz saw, by the way Baby 
Bun kept moving off and shout- 
ing, that he really did not mean 
to play with him at all. 

Poor Fritz put his tail be- 
tween his legs and went sadly 
away. He could not think 
why Baby Bun would not play 
with him. 

As Fritz passed the barn, a 


FRITZ IS UNHAPPY. 

man called out, “Here, Fritz, 
old fellow ! Come in here!” 

Fritz was glad to have any 
one speak to him, so he went 



WHAT WAS THE TROUBLE ? 


into the barn to tell the man 
how very badly he felt about 
Baby Bun. 

“He knows something is 
wrong,” said another man who 
was in the barn. 

“ He will be all right soon,’’ 
said the first man. Then they 
both took hold of Fritz and 


and wondering still about Baby 
Bun, he heard little feet running 
over the grass. He jumped up. 

Yes, it was Baby Bun, who 
called, “O, Fritz! Now come, 
Fritzie! Nice doggie!” and 
they were soon rolling over in 
the grass, one of them barking 
and the other laughing. 



FRITZ IS HAPPY AGAIN. 


put him into a big tub and 
gave him a bath! 

Fritz did not like it at all; 
but oh! how fine ^e looked 
when he came out ot the tub ! 

As he lay sunning himself 


Then they lay still ; and Baby 
Bun hugged Fritz and said, “ I 
am so glad you are clean again. 
Mamma told me not to play 
with you when you were all 
covered with black ditch mud!” 


39 


BUN AND HIS WONDER-BALL. 


BUN AND HIS WONDER-BALL. 


Baby Bun did not know at 
all what his Auntie meant 
when she said, “Bun, I have 
brought you a wonder-ball,” so 



he watched his Auntie as she 
took a bundle out of her bag 


and unrolled the paper. A 
ball it was, to be sure — so 
big that it took Bun’s two 
hands to hold it. It was made 
of gay red worsted, and Bun 
thought it was rather heavy. 

“ I have brought you a toy 
knitter, too,” said Auntie. 
“Come and sit by me and I 
will teach you to knit.” 

In a little while — a very lit- 
tle while, because it is so very 
nice and easy — Bun had 
learned to knit, using the 
worsted of his big wonder-ball, 
of course. That was what it 
was for. Auntie said. 

Bun knitted and knitted. 

Suddenly, pop ! 
out on the floor 
fell a little pack- 
age. 1 1 was a 
chocolate . “ I wonder where 

that came from,” said Bun. 



40 


BUN AND HIS WONDER-BALL. 


“You wonder?” said Auntie. “ Why, wonders come out of 
wonder-balls. Don’t you know that, little Bun ?” 

Bun clapped his hands, saying, “Oh! I 
think wonder-balls are fine. Auntie. Do 
they always have chocolates in them?” 

“Wonder-balls always have wonders in 
them,” said Auntie; and that was all she 
would tell little Bun about it. 

The next day Bun knitted more, 
and more 


won- 
ders dropped 
out of the ball 
A bright penny, 
a candy bird, a 
wee, wee bottle 
of cologne, and 



a whistle — all these came; and, 
besides, the strip of knitting was 
growing so long, too ! 

By and by Bun had a piece of the knit- 
ting long enough to make a fine pair of 
reins to play horse with, and there was 
no more worsted. The last thing he found 
was a pretty pink box, and in the box was a 
china cat and five little kittens ! 

Wouldn’t you like to learn to knit if 
you had a wonder-ball ? 



41 


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLACK HORSE. 



DONO AND DOBBIN. 


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLACK HORSE. 


Baby Bun was taking his 
nap. He had been a very 
naughty boy that morning. 
He would not mind his nurse 
when she called him to come 
into the house, and he would 
not put away his new horse 
with which he had been play- 
ing. So while Baby Bun was 
asleep, the new horse stood out 
on the lawn. He was a big 


black horse and his name was 
Dobbin. As he stood there 
who should come along but 
Dono the big puppy! 

When Dono spied the horse 
he thought he had found a 
playfellow ; so he went up to 
Dobbin and sniffed at him. 
Dobbin did not stir. Dono 
then put a paw up and hit 
Dobbin ; but the black horse 


42 


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLACK HORSE. 


never even turned his head. 
Then Dono thought this the 
strangest animal he had ever 
seen. He began to play more 
roughly with it. He bit the 
shiny harness, took Dobbins 
head into his mouth, jumped 
on him, rolled him over and 
over, pulled out his tail, and 
bit a great hole in his side. 

Just then his master called, 
“ Dono ! ” and Dono ran away. 

After dinner Baby Bun went 
out to play again ; but oh ! 
what a pitiful-looking horse he 


found ! Poor Dobbin was so 
scratched and torn and bitten 




DONO INVESTIGATES DOBBIN. 


OH, HOW SORRY BABY WAS ! 

that he could never be mended. 
Oh! how sorry Baby Bun was 
that he had not minded Nurse. 

Dobbin was not fit to play 
with any more ; but Nurse put 
him up in the toy closet, and 
whenever Bun 
fretted about hav- 
ing to put his play- 
things away, she 
only needed to 
point just once to 
poor Dobbin. 


/A/ 


43 


NAUGHTY IN NAP TIME. 


NAUGHTY IN NAP TIME. 



Baby Bun had been put to 
bed to take his nap. And 
Nurse had gone downstairs to 
get her dinner. All was quiet. 

“ I wish I didn’t have to go 
to sleep,” thought Baby Bun. 


1 C7\r\ 

‘'ckod-cKoo, 


As he lay with his nose be- 
tween the bars of his crib he 
saw his slippers on the chair 
near. 

“Oh! I can play ‘ choo- 
choo ! ’ ” said Baby Bun ; and 
he reached over and Sfot 
one of his slippers. 

“Choo-choo! choo- 
choo ! ” Up and 
down the crib 
went the red 
morocco train ; 
but in a few 
minutes Baby 
Bun thought of some- 
thing else. Suppose 
he should put on his 
slippers ! And get out 
of bed ! 

Oh ! naughty Baby 
Bun ! Lie down again 
and go to sleep like a good 
child. But no — the red slip- 


“ I wish I had something here 
in my crib to play with! ” 


44 




NAUGHTY IN NAP TIME. 


pers were soon on 
and Baby Bun clam- 
bered over the side 
of his crib to the 
chair. 

Bump ! Whack ! 

Oh, what a hard hit 
his head got ! And 
how it hurt ! Baby 
Bun did not' often 
cry, but this made 
the tears come. 

He got up and 
stood rubbing his 
poor little head. 

He did not want 
to play any more. 

He looked at his nice bed. “I 
think I will take my nap now,” 
said Baby Bun. 

When Nurse came to take 
him up he was fast asleep ; but 
he soon waked. 

“Why, you have your slip- 
pers on ! ” said Nurse. 

Soon she found the bump ; 
and then Baby Bun told her 



how he had played 
“ choo-choo ! ” and 
climbed out of the 
crib and fallen off 
the chair. 

The next day 
when he went to 
take his nap Baby 
Bun said, “You’d 
better take away the 
chair so I can’t reach 
my slippers.” And 



then he turned over and went 
to sleep as soon as he could. 


45 


THE TALKING CLOCK. 


THE TALKING CLOCK. 


In mamma’s room there 
was a china dish with a cover. 
On this cover was a pretty rose, 

and when you 


took hold of 
the rose and 
lifted the 
cover, 
would 
candy. 

One 


you 

find 



when Baby Bun was left alone 
in the nursery for a few minutes 
he happened to think of that 
dish of candy in mamma’s room. 


Mamma was not at home. 
Nurse was busy. Baby Bun 
went out into the hall and 
down the stairs. He went 
quietly and listened all the 
time, fearing lest Nurse should 
find out that he was not in the 
nursery. 

Suddenly, just before he 
opened mamma’s door, he 
heard a queer voice saying 
very slowly, 
“Go — back ! 
Go — back ! ” 
Baby Bun was 
frightened and 
looked all about, 
but he could see 
no one. Yet still 
that very slow, 
solemn, strange 
voice kept on, 
saying distinctly, 
“ Go — back ! Go — back ! ” 
Baby Bun felt more and 


46 


THE TALKING CLOCK. 


more afraid. What should 
he do ? 

“ Go — back ! Go — back ! ” 
said the voice again. 

And this time Baby Bun 
obeyed the command. 


ever, he heard the front door 
close; and then his mamma 
called him. Down he ran, not 
stopping to listen this time; 
and you may be sure he told 
his mamma all about it. 





He ran upstairs as fast as 
ever he could. He did not care 
if Nurse did hear him now. In 
fact he wanted very much to 
find her or somebody. Just 
as he reached the nursery, how- 


His mamma was sorry he . 
had been so naught}^ as to go 
to get the candy; but she told 
him it was the good old clock 
that spoke to him and told him 
to go back. 


47 


BUN AT THE FARM. 



BUN AT THE FARM. 


When Baby Bun was in the 
country, of course the thing 
he liked best to do was to go 
down to the farm ; though 
there were a great many other 
interesting places. 

For at the farm, there was 
everything, it seemed to Baby 
Bun. There were horses, and 
hay carts, and dump carts, and 
the carry-all. There were big 
barns with ladders to climb 
and with hay to jump into. 


There was the orchard, 
where you could find blossoms, 
or green apples to throw to 
the pigs, or ripe apples to eat. 
The pigs lived near the barn ; 
big, funny old grunters, and 
darling little pink piggies that 
were so cunning. 

Baby’s own garden was 
down at the farm, too; and 
the pastures — one for the 
cows, one for the calves, and 
one for the sheep; and be- 


48 


BUN AT THE FARM. 


sides all this there was the 
poultry yard. 

Baby Bun always threw corn 
to the hens and chickens, and 
looked in the nests for eggs, 
first; and then he would run 
down to the duck pond. This 
was not a real pond, but a 
small place arranged for the 
ducks to swim in. 

Bun sailed boats there some- 
times; but what he liked best 
was to keep the ducks swim- 
ming from one side of the 
pond to the other. 

The ducks liked it for a lit- 
tle while, but they got tired of 
it before Baby Bun did. 

One day, one of the largest 
ducks tried to get out. Baby 
Bun ran quickly round to the 
other side of the pond to chase 
him back into the water. 

The ground was a little wet 
at the edge of the duck pond. 
Baby Bun was running fast 
and his foot slipped just at the 


brink of the water, and in he 
fell with a great splash. 

The pond was not deep 
enough to be dangerous, but 
Baby Bun was well frightened. 
He screamed and gurgled 



“dripping like a water-cart.” 


with his mouth full of water, 
and the ducks quacked in ter- 
ror and waddled out and away 
as fast as ever they could. 

Baby Bun had to walk 
home ‘‘dripping like a water- 
cart,” as Nurse said. He has 
always been more careful since, 
when near the duck pond. 


49 


BUN AND MOTHER HEN. 



BUN CHASES THE RUNAWAY CHICKEN. 


BUN AND MOTHER HEN. 


Baby Bun went out to see 
the little chickens. It was 
safe for him to go out in the 
farmyard alone, for the horses 
were gone to the blacksmith's 
to get new shoes put on, and 
the cows were out in the fields. 

“ Be a good child. Bun, and 
nothing will hurt you,” Baby’s 
mamma had said ; “ and don’t 
touch the chickens.” So Baby 
Bun trotted off to the big 
cherry-tree where Mother Hen 


and the downy chickens lived. 

There they were — the' cun- 
ning, yellow things — just out- 
side the coop. -Mother Hen 
was out with them that morn- 
ing, and she was cluck-cluck- 
ing very earnestly to her babies ; 
and what do you think she 
said ? Why, just about what 
Baby Bun’s mother had said 
to him : “ Be good little chick- 

ens, and nothing will hurt you; 
and keep close to me.” 


50 


BUN AND MOTHER HEN. 


But one little chick was 
naughty. He did not keep 
close to his mother but ran 
away. 

Baby Bun ran after him and 
caught him. Baby only wanted 
to pet him, but he was fright- 
ened and began to cry. Mother 
H en heard him, and when she 
saw that Baby Bun was hold- 
ing him, she called out fiercely, 
“ Cluck ! cluck! cluck! cluck!” 
and this time it meant, “ What 
are you doing to my child ? 
Let him go ! ” 

Baby Bun did not let the 
chicken go ; he was so soft and 
yellow and cunning. Then 
Mother Hen flew up and 
pecked Baby Bun’s cheek. 
This frightened Bun and he 
began to cry. 

His mamma heard him, and 
came out. She took the little 
chicken away from Baby Bun 
and put him on the ground be- 
side Mother Hen. 


Then she said, “If you had 
not touched the chicken. Mother 
Hen would not have hurt you.” 

And Mother Hen just then 
was saying to her little one, 
“If you had kept close to me, 
Baby Bun would not have 
caught you.” 

And Baby Bun and the lit- 



m6ther hen attacks baby bun. 


tie chicken both knew that 
their mothers were right. 


51 


A SANTA CLAUS STORY. 


A SANTA CLAUS STORY. 


The night before Christmas 
Baby Buns mamma told him 
a strange story about “The 
Dreadful Thing which might 



have Happened, and What 
Prevented it.” 

One Christmas Eve Santa 


Claus had to wait longer than 
usual for all the children to get 
to sleep, so that he could start 
out to fill the stockings. One 
of the windows in his room 
had a magic curtain. As long 
as there was a single child 
awake, this curtain remained 
rolled up; but when the last 
child had gone to sleep, down 
dropped the curtain, and off 
started Santa Claus. 

Santa sat waiting, waiting, 
for the curtain to unroll. At 
last he began to doze and was 
soon sound asleep! When the 
curtain finally dropped, Santa 
Claus did not know it. The 
reindeer outside pawed and 
clattered noisily, but it did not 
waken him. The moments 
passed slowly. Could it be 
that the stockings would hang 
empty on Christmas morning? 


52 


A SANTA CLAUS STORY. 


But the dreadful thing which 
might have happened did not 
happen ; and it was the White 



THE WHITE KITTEN KNOCKS DOWN THE TIN PAN. 


Kitten who prevented it. She 
saw the curtain drop and knew 
it was time for Santa to start. 
So she rubbed against her 
master and mewed her very 
loudest. She jumped upon 
the shelf and knocked down a 
tin pan. But even that did not 
wake him. 

Then the White Kitten 
grew anxious and desperate. 

Santa Claus must be wak- 
ened, and there is no one but 
me to do it ; it is my duty ; ” 
so saying, she gave a spring 
and caught her claws in his 


snow-white beard, giving it a 
quick jerk. 

“ Ow, ow ! ” shrieked Santa, 
jumping up. “ What’s the 
matter ? ” 

No one answered. The 
White Kitten sat demurely 
washing her face. 

“ I must have been asleep 
and dreamed that some one 
pulled my beard,” said Santa. 
“ But it actually hurts still ! — 
Why ! why ! ! the curtain is 
down ! 1 must be off ! ” And 



THE WHITE KITTEN PULLS SANTA’s BEARD. 


in less than a wink Santa was 
in his sleigh speeding away 
over the housetops. 


53 


HOW BUN CAUGHT A BIRD. 


HOW BUN CAUGHT A BIRD. 


“ See here,” said cook to 
Baby Bun one day, “would 
you like to catch one of the 



little birds ye see hoppin’ and 
singin’ out on the lawn there?” 

“They always fly away from 
me,” said Baby Bun. 

“ It must be because ye never 
tried the salt,” said cook. 
“ Look here now ! ” She 
showed Baby Bun a small 
paper bag full of salt. “You 
just put a pinch of salt on the 


bird’s tail, and then see if he 
flies away.” 

Baby Bun went out on the 
lawn. He looked about him 
as he walked, and suddenly he 
stopped. 

He heard a little noise close 
to his feet. He looked down 
and there was a wee brown 
bird fluttering in the o^rass. 

O o 

Baby Bun took a pinch of 
salt out of the bag with his fat, 
fumblinor little fino^ers. The 
little bird had not yet flown 
away. “ Hold still, birdie,” 
said Baby Bun. “ Hold still 
while I put the salt on your 
tail ! ” 

Then a shout of delight 
was heard. “I’ve caught him! 
I’ve caught him ! I put the 
salt on his tail ! ” 

Every one rushed to see 


54 


HOW BUN CAUGHT A BIRD. 


what Baby Bun had caught. 
It really was a little bird — 
a baby sparrow. There it lay 
in Baby Bun’s hands, a throb- 
bing little bunch of feathers, 
with a pitiful “peep-peep.” 
The big brothers brought a 

o o 

cage from the attic, and the 
frightened birdie was put into 
it. As he hopped about, one 


brown wing trailed along the 
bottom of the cage. 

“Why, his wing is broken,” 
said Auntie. “Poor Birdie! 
No wonder he couldn’t fly 
away ! ” 

“O, no. Auntie,” said Baby 
Bun, “that is not the reason! 
I put salt on his tail ! ” 

Auntie smiled. 



WHEN BUN FELL INTO THE DUCK-POND. 

{See page ^9.) 


55 


BUN’S HAPPY EASTER. 


BUN^S HAPPY EASTER. 


Last Easter day when Baby 
Bun went to get his good- 
morning kiss from mamma, 
she pinned a 
bunch of flow- 
ers on his white 
dress. “That’s 
for 



Easter,” said she. 

At breakfast Bun found a 
pretty card at his plate. It 
was a picture of a cunning 


yellow chicken looking into an 
empty egg-shell as if saying, 
“ Who could ever live in such 
a little house as that ? ” 

The next surprise Bun found 
in the library. “ Baby, see ! 
Here’s your Easter present 
from grandmamma!” said Sis- 
ter, as she gave him a box. 
Bun took off the cover, and 
there was a pretty white rabbit, 
with long ears, pink eyes, and 
• a short tail ! The rabbit felt 
heavy as Bun lifted him from 
the box, and something rattled. 
“Oh! I know,’’ said Bun; “he 
is like my Santa Claus ele- 
phant. There’s candy in him ! ” 
He pulled at Rabbit’s head, 
and soon off it came and 
out rolled the candies. Bun 
could only eat a very little 
one just then; but after dinner 


BUN’S HAPPY EASTER. 


he had three more snow-white 
candies. 

In the afternoon Baby Bun 
went to church for the first 
time; and, as a plant was given 
to every child in the church, 
Bun, too, received one. His 
plant was full of little pink 


blossoms and buds. He car- 
ried it home himself, and put 
it in the nursery window. 

The last thing tired happy 
little Bun said that night was, 
“ Oh ! I like Easter — and 
flowers — and rabbits — and 
everything ! ” 


THE LOVABLE CHILD. 



Frisky as a lambkin, 

Busy as a bee — 

That’s the kind of little girl 
People like to see. 

Modest as a violet, 

As a rosebud sweet — 
That’s the kind of little girl 
People like to meet. 

Bright as is a diamond. 

Pure as any pearl — 

Every one rejoices in 
Such a little girl. 

Happy as a robin. 

Gentle as a dove — 

That’s the kind of little girl 
Every one will love. 

Fly away and seek her, little song of mine. 
For I choose that very girl as my Valentine. 


58 


POLITENESS. 


POLITENESS. 


A BOY went out to walk one day, 
And met a lady on his way; 

His cap was quickly off his head: 
“Good morning,” pleasantly he said. 


A little girl went walking too. 
And met a lady whom she 
knew; 






V/ith quick politeness then the 
child 

Good morning” said, and bowed and 
smiled. 


And thus should lads and lasses greet 
Whatever friends they chance to 
meet. 

If they would show politeness true. 
Now, who’ll remember this? Will 
you ? 


59 


THE LITTLE READER. 



IVe had another birthday, 

I’m very old indeed; 

And father said this morning 
I ought to learn to read. 

So now I think I’ll study — 
No, Kitty, run away! 

When folks are busy reading 
They do not care to play. 

When father comes this even- 
ing, 

And hears me read aloud. 
Just like big brother Henry, 
Won’t he be pleased and 
proud? 


0 Dot, please stop your sing- 

ing! 

Of course you didn’t know; 
But when I want to study 
The noise disturbs me so. 

It’s strange about this reading — 
It takes so very long. 

1 wonder what’s the matter! 
Perhaps the book is wrong. 

And there’s my doggie bark- 
ing 

And whining all about. 
Poor fellow! he’s so lonesome! 
I surely must go out. 


But when my dog is older. 
And doesn’t need me , — then 
I’ll stay in all the morning. 
And study hard again. 


6o 


THE LITTLE READER, 



POOR FELLOW 


HES SO LONESOME, I 


SURELY 


MUST GO OUT, 


A LESSON IN NUMBERS. 


Le;S5on inNumLer 


I HAVE a little lesson 
In numbers every day ; 
And, If you like, I’ll tell you 
The kind I have to say — 
I call them play. 



There was a little pigeon. 
And when he said, “Coo- 
coo ! ” 

Another little pigeon 

Close down beside him 
flew. 

Then there were two. 




Two pretty ships were sailing, 
As grandly as could be; 
And “Ship ahoy!” another 
Sailed out upon the sea. 
Then there were three. 


62 


A LESSON IN NUMBERS. 



I had a pretty rose-bush 
That grew beside my door; 
Three roses bloomed upon it, 
And soon there came one 
more. 

Then there were four. 


Four bees a-gathering honey — 
The busiest things alive; 
And soon there came another 
From out the crowded hive. 
Then there were five. 


;e last were rather hard 
ones — 

The roses and the bees; 
But my mamma says, “Num- 
bers 

Get harder by degrees;” 
Harder than these! 



63 


MAMMA’S GAME. 



Mamma’s Game. 



As the day slips away, 

Let me tell you what to play : 



Off with clothes — Nursie knows 
What’s the costume I propose. 

“All in white?” That is right! 
Now the bedroom candles light. 


64 


MAMMA’S GAME. 


Jump in here, — never fear, — 

Play you are a sailor, dear. 

In this boat you may float 
Off* to Slumberland remote. 

Then wee Fred wisely said, 

“Ho! your play means ‘go to bed.’” 



65 


THE TOYS AT LIBERTY. 


THE TOYS AT LIBERTY. 


t There was once 
a Toy Closet 
where a great 
many Toys lived. 
One night when 
the clock struck 

WHAT THE WOODEN 

SOLDIER DID. twclvc, cllck ! wcnt 
the latch of the Toy Closet, 
and out stepped a Wooden 
Soldier. 

“Aha ! ” said he with a chuckle, 
“we are to have a holiday!” 

Then he turned and climbed 
nimbly (although you wouldn’t 
expect it of a Wooden Sol- 
dier!) over the Toy Closet 
shelves. As fast as he touched 
the Toys they roused to life, 
and came out, running and 
jumping, rolling and tumbling, 
till the Toy Closet was empty. 
Once out in the nursery, the 


Old Toys welcomed the New 
Toys whom Santa Claus had 
brought the night before, and 
began to give them advice. 

“You must be sure to break 
whenever you have a chance,” 
said they. “It is hard, but it 
is the only way to teach chil- 
dren to be careful.” 

“What!” shrieked the New 
Toys in chorus, “break!” 

“O, yes!” said a Jumping 
Jack. He had only half a 
head, one arm and no legs. 
“To3^s have their duty as well 
as People. If children drop 
us, or hit us, or play with us in 
foolish, careless ways, we must 
show them that it is wrong. 
Some of us have to break, and 
some of us who can’t break 
have to lose ourselves.” 


66 


THE TOYS AT LIBERTY. 



The Toys, new and old, 
looked very solemn at this ; 
and the new Walking Doll 
said mournfully, “Ah! then I 
shall not live a day, for I am 
very delicate.” 

“ O, perhaps you will,” said 
the Bicycle Boy 


sober long enough,” said the 
Hoop, waltzing up. “Lets 
have music and dancing.” 

“O, yes!” shouted all the 
Toys. So the Music Box be- 
gan to play and the whole com- 
pany was soon dancing merrily. 

But oh, dear! and oh, dear! 
The Pendexter Baby woke up 


encouragingly. “ The 
children have learned 
how easily I get out of 
order, so I think they 
will be likely to handle 
you quite carefully.” 

“ I m glad I can’t break,” said 
a Rubber Ball; “but I will run 
away and hide! I like that! 

“ Come, come, we’ve been 


JUST BEFORE THE BABY WOKE. 


and began to cough; and the 
Toys had just time to scramble 
back into the Closet before the’ 
nurs^ came past the door. 


67 


OUT AGAIN, 


OUT AGAIN. 


“ That was a 
merry dance we 
had the other 
night,” said an 

THE TEN PIN AND THE old Ten Pin 

WALKING DOLL. 

ing Doll the next time the 
Toys had a holiday. 

“ O, yes ! delightful,” she 
answered. “ Only the hurry at 
the last was so agitating ! 
What if the nurse had caught 
us ! ” 

The Ten Pin looked grave. 
"‘That would indeed have been 
terrible,” he said ; “ for we are 
under the same laws as fairies 
and must not be seen at our 
sports. If we were once seen, 
we should never get another 
holiday.” 

“H ow dreadful ! ” said the 


Walking Doll, clutching her 
pink parasol nervously; “but I 
trust it will never happen. Do 
we always sleep in the Toy 
Closet ? ” 

“ Almost always,” answered 
a Battledore. “ Sometimes one 
of us is left around the house, 
and that is frightfully lonely. 
And sometimes we are just 
THROWN into the closet. 
My Brother Battledore got a 
bad hole in his face that way. 
Still, we ought to be thankful. 
Some poor Toys have no 
Closet which they can call their 
own ; and, worse than that, 
some toys have to be played 
with by children who don’t care 
if they do break them ! ” 

A murmur of horror ran 
through the company. 



OUT AGAIN. 



“ Yes ; it is true,” said the 
Dump Cart. “ I have heard 
of such things. But the little 
Pendexters are only thought- 
less, not cruel.” 

“ What shall we play to- 
night?” asked the Tambou- 
rine, rolling up with a 
soft jingling noise. 

“The Animal Toys 






THE RACE BETWEEN THE PARIS PIG AND THE CANTON FLANNEL ELEPHANT. 


Elephant. The Paris Pig won. 
He was a tremendous fellow, 
as fat as a real pig, but so light 
that the Pendexter baby could 
lift him and toss him about. 

After this the China Rab* 
bit Mother and the Jumping 


have planned a circus,” said 
one of the Battledore Brothers. 
“Yes- — see! they are all ready. 
Let’s take our places.” 

The circus began. First 
came a race between the Paris 
Pig and the Canton Flannel 


Frog had a leaping match. 

Then the horses, led by 
Black Prince, went through 
some tricks ; and after that 
there were more races. And 
then it was time for the Toys 
to go back to ^heir Closet 



THE DOLL’S PLAN. 


THE DOLL’S PLAN. 


“Attention! Or- 
der ! ” shouted a 
voice. It was the 
Captain of the 
Wooden Soldiers 
who spoke. The 
whole company of 
Toys paused to 
listen. 

They had been 
awakened by the 
Rubber Ball, and 
one and all were 
assembled in the nursery. 

“ I will introduce Miss Rosy, 
who has a plan to propose,” 
said the Captain, bowing to 
Miss Rosy, a yellow-headed 
dolly, the dearest and oldest 
of all the dolls that the Pen- 
dexter children owned. 

Miss Rosy stepped forward. 


She was blushing so that her 
cheeks were quite pink, al- 
though the paint had been 
washed off them long ago. 

“You know I am often 
down to tea in the schoolroom,” 
said she. “ Last night the 
children and their governess 
told stories, and it was so de- 
lightful. So quiet, too, that I 
thought it would be just the 
right sort of entertainment for 
us to have on our holiday 
nights. What think you?” 

“ Oh ! but dancing is such 
fun ! I am just longing for 
another whirl,” said the Top. 

“ But there is a risk about 
it. Some one might be awak- 
ened by the music,” said the 
Box of Blocks. He was a 
rather clumsy dancer. 



70 


THE DOLL’S PLAN. 


“Yes, and it’s a good deal 
like play, after all,” added the 
Jumping Jack. “And since 
we must play almost all day, I 
should like a change at night.” 

“ Suppose we try it next 
time, at any rate,” said Rosy. 


The other Toys looked at 
Rosy admiringly, and the Bi- 
cycle Boy said, “ What a wise 
person you are. Miss Rosy.” 

But Rosy was not a bit 
proud; she said, “Oh! if I 
know anything, it is only be- 



MISS ROSY PROPOSES A PLAN. 


All the Toys agreed to this. 
“But who shall tell the story?” 
asked the Bicyle Boy. 

“ Oh ! I know how we could 
decide that,” said Rosy. “It 
could be the one who hears the 
clock strike.” 


cause I am in the schoolroom 
so much. Is it agreed, then, 
that the one who hears the 
clock strike twelve shall tell us 
a story next time?” 

“Agreed! agreed!” said the 
Toys. 


71 


THE PARIS PIG. 


THE PARIS PIG. 


The Paris 
Pig had 
waked first 
this time; and 
as soon as the 
T oys had had 
their fun talk- 
ing together 
he was called upon for his story. 

“ I used to live in Paris,” 
said he. ‘‘And when the Pen- 
dexter children’s Uncle Tom 
was in Paris, he came into the 
toyshop where I was. ‘ I must 
take something home to the 
children,’ said Uncle Tom; 
‘ and I should certainly take 
that Pig if he were not such a 
big fellow ! ’ ‘ Oh ! ’ said the 

shopman, ‘ this Pig can travel 
in your pocket, or in a very, 
very small box. Let me show 


you,’ and the shop-keeper be- 
gan fumbling at the back of my 
neck. 

“ The back of my neck is a 
very sensitive place, I think ; 
for I always grow faint when 
it is meddled with. 

“ I gave one long, long 
squeal, at which Uncle Tom and 
the shop-keeper only laughed. 
The shop-keeper stroked and 
pinched and squeezed me, and 
I grew smaller and smaller and 
smaller. My tail lost its curl, 
my legs became flabby and I 
could not stand, my head 
shrunk, my sides collapsed, 
and as my long-drawn squeal 
ended in a faint ‘ wh ’ I was 
nothing but a crumpled skin in 
the shop-keeper’s hand. 

“ After that I knew nothing 



THE PIG AND HIS MIS- 
TRESS. 


THE PARIS PIG. 


for a long time. At last I 
heard voices. ‘Lets give him 
a good blowing up for looking 
like this,’ said Uncle Tom; 
and he put his lips to that 
place at the back 


ever. Uncle Tom got very 
red in the face, the children 
said; but I am sure he did not 
feel as if he had wasted his 
breath, for I was as round and 
plump and handsome as 
^ I had been in the Paris 
toy-shop. And the chil- 



THE PARIS PIG TELLS HIS STORY. 


began to revive very quickly. 
My sides swelled out, I held 
up my head, my legs grew 
stout again, and my tail soon 
curled around as gracefully as 


dren’s welcome repaid me for 
all I had suffered.” 

The Paris Pig then made a 
modest bow, and the T oys 
crowded around with thanks. 


73 


THE EGG THAT HATCHED BROWNIES. 


THE EGG THAT HATCHED BROWNIES. 


Tap, tap, 
tap ! T ap, tap ! 

The Brown- 
ies were awake 
and were try- 
ing to open 
the box in 
which they 
slept. They 
soon had the 
cover off; and, 
as there were 

PUSS-BACK. 

four of them, 
it took very little time to rouse 
the rest of the Toys. 

Brownies must have their 
fun, though ; so, instead of just 
touching the Toys to waken 
them, they gave little tweaks 
and pinches; and, finally, all 
four crept behind the Paris 
Pig and gave him such a push 


that it sent him flying down to 
the floor, where he rolled over 
and over. But he only smiled 
and winked at the Brownies, 
enjoying the joke as much as 
they did. 

The Brownie with the swal- 
low-tailed coat was the one to 
tell the story. 

“You all know,” he began, 
“ that we sleep in a box shaped 
like a large egg. When this 
egg was presented to the chil- 
dren, they thought it must be a 
box of candy; but ‘No,’ said 
the eldest boy, ‘ it is not heavy 
enough.’ Then they thought 
it was empty; but ‘ No,’ said 
little Peggy, ‘ I hear something 
rattle.’ Then each child had 
to take the egg and shake it, to 
hear it rattle; and oh, dear 



74 


THE EGG THAT HATCHED BROWNIES. 


me! what a shaking we did 
get. Then they all tried to 
open the egg, but they couldn’t ; 
and their nurse tried and she 
couldn’t ; and the governess 
tried and she couldn’t; and 


“ At night, fortunately, we 
awoke ; and by prying and ham- 
mering with all our might we 
loosened the cover. 

“In the morning, when little 
Peggy shook the egg, off came 




THE EGG AND THE BROWNIES. 



their mamma tried and she 
couldn’t ; and their papa tried 
and he couldn’t. 

“ So they were all discouraged 
and left the egg standing on 
the library table. 


the top and out we all tumbled! 

“ And little Peggy shouted, 
‘Oh! the egg has hatched 
Brownies ! ’ 

“They never knew we had 
loosened the cover ourselves.” 


75 


THE BLACK HORSE TELLS A STORY. 


THE BLACK HORSE TELLS A STORY. 


“Thank 
you very much 
forwaking me 
up first,” said 
the Black 
H orse, nod- 
ding at the N ursery Clock. “ I 
have a fine story to tell ! 

“You probably do not know 
that I was away from home 
last night,” he continued, turn- 
ing to the Toys, “but I spent 
the night at the stable- — the 
real stable, I mean. I was 
very much frightened when I 
found that little Roger had 
gone away and left me there ; 
but I was glad afterwards, for 
I had such a good time. 

“ The animals treated me 
very handsomely, and we be- 
came very good friends. They 


gave me some hay and oats ” 
— here the Black Horse whin- 
nied with delight — “and they 
put me through my paces. 

‘‘ I have so little practice that 
I was afraid I should not 
do well ; but they said that I 
trotted and cantered and gal- 
loped as if I had the free use 
of my legs every day. 

“ They seemed to be a very 
happy family. There were 
Dick and Dandy, the old pair; 
and Puck and Ariel, the new 
pair; and Felix, the saddle 
horse; and Tom-tom, the pony; 
and Barney, the donkey; and 
Lady Snow. 

“I must tell you about Lady 
Snow. She is a pure white 
horse, but she says her snowy 
suit is a great trouble to her. 



76 


THE BLACK HORSE TELLS A STORY. 


She can’t take a comfortable 
roll without getting a scolding 
from the groom for getting 
dirty. And at night she has 


“ This morning little Roger 
came to the stable early, to get 
me. I tried to look calm, but 
he said, ‘ How your eyes shine, 



BLACK PRINCE IN THE STABLE. 


to wear trousers on all her legs 
to keep them clean. She looks 
so funny ! 


Black Prince! Have you been 
talking with the other horses?’ 
“Of course, I didn’t tell ! ” 


ALMOST CAUGHT! 


ALMOST CAUGHT! 


The White Duck 
was certainly a beauti- 
ful creature. 

THE BRIGHT 

LIGHT. She was all white 

except for a collar of dark green 
feathers about her neck, and 
her broad yellow beak, and her 
yellow webbed feet. 

At one time she was very 
heavy ; but after the children 
found out the secret of her 
left wing she rapidly lost 
weight. Would you like to 
know the secret? 

The White Duck’s left 
wing could be lifted up, and 
you could put your hand in 
and pull out candy! But the 
candy was all gone long ago, 
of course. 

The White Duck really felt 
a little shy about telling a story. 


though she was pleased to find 
herself the first one awake. 

She was paddling about in 
a bowl of water which stood 
on a small table opposite the 
Nursery door. 

The three Brownies were 
sitting on the Paris Pig’s back. 
The China Rabbit Family sat 
sedately under the dump cart. 
The Bicyle Boy held the Rub- 
ber Baby in his lap; and the 
Captain of the Wooden Sol- 
diers sat so close to the Walk- 
ing Doll that his head was 
under her pink parasol. The 
other T oys were grouped 
around, enjoying the freedom 
of sitting or standing as they 
liked. 

“It is so seldom I get any 
water to swim in,” said the 



78 


ALMOST CAUGHT! 


White Duck, “that I am sure 
you will excuse my remaining 
here while I tell my story.” 

“Yes, indeed,” the other 
Toys said. They were glad 
she could have the pleasure. 

As the White Duck cleared 
her throat and glanced about 



THE FLIGHT TO THE CLOSET. 


just ready to begin her story, 
what was her horror to see a 
bright light flashing in through 
the crack of the door, and a 
white-robed figure standing 
there. 

With a gasp of terror the 
White Duck scrambled from 
the bowl and fled to the Toy 
Closet. 

The other Toys did not 


wait to see what had fright- 
ened her, but followed in such 
mad haste that they almost got 
on the wrong shelves. The 
clumsy Box of Blocks was the 
last to get in his place, and he 
had not time to fasten the door 
before the Nurse walked into 
the room. 

“ How strange ! ” 
said she, peering 
about, “ I 
^ really did 


think I 
heard some- 
thing. I sup- 
pose that my 
toothache makes me nervous.” 

She then went into the other 
rooms ; and, finding the chil- 
dren sleeping soundly, she 
went back to bed. 

But the Toys were too much 
frightened to come out again. 



79 


THE FROG WHO WOULD A-HOPPING GO. 


THE FROG WHO WOULD A-HOPPING GO. 


After the 
dreadful fright 
that the T oys 
had on the 
night when the 
White Duck 
was to tell her 
story, there was 
a long, long 
time without a holiday. 

At last, one night, something 
hopped stealthily from the Toy 
Closet to the nursery door. 

It was the Green-and-Yellow 
Frog who could hop about in 
a very froggy and wonderful 
manner in the daytime when 
he was wound up, and in a 
still more froggy and wonder- 
ful manner at night without 
being wound up. He listened 
and listened as he sat there by 


the nursery door. He could 
hear the steady breathing which 
showed that nurse and children 
were all soundly sleeping. The 
Frog hopped back to the Toy 
Closet and soon had the other 
Toys gathered about him to 
hear his story. 

“ When I first came here,’* 
said the Frog, “a Toy Frog 
who could hop was a great 
curiosity, and the children used 
to keep me hopping most of 
the time. 

“One day Bella had just 
wound me up when some one 
called ‘ Bella ! ’ 

“‘Oh! there’s Helen Burr,’ 
said Bella; and, forgetting that 
I must hop as soon as I got a 
chance, she put me down on 
the window-sill and flew to 



8o 


THE FROG WHO WOULD A-HOPPING GO. 


meet Helen. The window 
was open. Out I hopped ! 

At last I alighted in some 
grass as green as myself. 

‘‘ By this time Bella and 
Helen had come out to play. 

“‘Oh! what is that hopping 
in the grass ? ’ 
said Helen. 

“ Bella looked 
where Helen 
pointed. ‘ Oh ! 
oh ! oh ! ’ she 
cried, ‘ it’s my 
precious little hopping frog. 

H ow did he get down 
here ? ’ 

“ ‘ Where did you leave 
him ? ’ asked mamma, when 
Bella took me in and told her 
about finding me in the grass. 
It was soon discovered that I 
had been left by an open 
window. 

“ Every one was astonished 
to find that I could hop as 


well as ever. Why I did 
not break all to pieces I can 
not tell ; but I merely felt a 
little dizzy from whirling about 
in the air. It was lucky for 
me that I did not fall on the 
stone steps or the / 
brick walk. I 



have survived 
that, I am sure ! 

“ And that is 
the most wonderful adventure 
I ever had,” concluded the 
F rog ; “ and ever since that 
time the children have called 
me ‘The Frog Who Would 
a-H opping Go.’ ” 


8i 


THE VOYAGE OF THE WATERLILY. 


THE VOYAGE OF THE WATERLILY. 



was Waterlily. 
“A long time ago, when Henry 
and Allan Pendexter were lit- 
tle fellows, they used to take 
me out nearly every fine day. 
We went to one of the fountain 
basins in the Public Garden. 

“ At first they led me round 
and round by a string. I used 
to feel my sails puffing . out 
with the wind, and how I 
longed to get free. ! 

“ One day Uncle Tom came 
along on the walk. 

Ship ahoy ! ’ said he. 
‘ Heave away, there! The 
Waterlily is not a cart to be 
dragged about in that way ! ’ 


“So Uncle Tom took off 
the string, set my rudder, and 
away I went as proud and 
happy as any real ship that 
ever sailed the ocean. 

‘“Three cheers for the 
Waterlily I ' said Uncle Tom. 
‘ That’s the way for a boat to 
sail.’ 

“ After that I never had to 
submit to the string again. 

“ One day the boys left all 
my sails up when a strong 
breeze was blowing. Besides, 
the fountain was throwing out 
more water than usual. I 
tipped away over on my side 
to show my young captains 
that I had too much sail for 
the strong wind. But they 
only thought it more fun ; and 
the more I tipped, the more 


THE VOYAGE OF THE WATERLILY. 



they clapped their hands and 
shouted. 

Suddenly the wind struck 
:ny sails so as to send me right 
to the middle of the pond. I 
keeled over on my side, and the 
water from the fountain dashed 


with his club, but it wasn’t half 
long enough. 

“H owever, the Policeman 
would not give it up. He 
brought two of the Garden set- 
tees and put them into the 
pond. Then he walked out 
on them, reached me with his 
club, and dragged me to him. 


THE POLICEMAN TRIES TO RESCUE THE WATERLILY. 


down upon my sails, making 
them too heavy for me to lift. 
There I lay helpless. 

Henry and Allan did not 
know what to do. The Big 
Policeman tried to reach me 


“ So I was saved; and that’s 
the end of my story,” concluded 
the Waterlily. 

Then away trooped the 
Toys, and soon all was quiet 
in the Nursery. 


83 


HOW THE WAX DOLL SAVED PEGGY. 


HOW THE WAX DOLL SAVED PEGGY. 


Dear! dear! 
Isn’t any body 
going to wake 
up?” ticked 
the Nursery 
Clock. 

Just then the 
Wax Doll, rub- 
bing her eyes, 
peeped out of the Toy closet. 

“ T ime-is-go-ing ! T ime-is- 

go-ing!” ticked the Clock. 

“ So it is!” said the Wax 
Doll. “ I must wake the other 
Toys.” 

The Clock did not tick many 
times before the Wax Doll’s 
audience was ready. 

“ One day last winter little 
Peggy and I had been out 
sleigh-riding. When we came 
in. Nurse took Peggy and set 


her down in front of the nur- 
sery fire to ‘toast,’ as she said. 

“Then it was nap time ; so 
Peggy was put to bed and 
Nurse went down to dinner. 

“ Peggy had taken my things 
off and left me lying on the 
table. After she was in bed 
she remembered me. ‘ Poor 
Dolly ! ’ said Peggy ; ‘ Dolly 
must “ toast,” too.’ So the lit- 
tle dear put me in her own 
rocking chair. ‘Mustn’t play 
wif fire,’ she said solemnly; but 
she dragged the high fender 
away as she spoke. Then she 
lifted the rocking chair and 
toddled backward with it to- 
ward the fire. 

“ I began to get frightened. 
If she kept on she would cer- 
tainly fall into the blazing coals. 



THE WAX DOLL. 


84 


HOW THE WAX DOLL SAVED PEGGY. 


H ow I wished I could scream ! 
What should I do ? 

“ Suddenly the rocking chair 
tilted a little to one side. I 
seized the chance, and fell to 
the floor. Of course I was 
badly hurt, but what did I care 
for that? 

“ Peggy dropped the chair 
and picked me up. She cried 
so loudly when she 
found the great hole 
in my head that her 
mamma came run- 
ning in to see what 
was the matter. 


succeeded in it ; and since 
Peggy loves me as well as 
ever, I do not mind the hole 
in my head so very much.” 

This was the end of the 
Wax Doll’s story; and as the 
Toys returned 



THE WAY PEGGY WALKED BACKWARD TOWARD THE FIRE. 


“ People said afterwards it 
was a wonder that the child 
had not fallen into the fire. 
They did not know my part 
in saving her, but I have 
always been thankful that I 


to the Toy Closet the Cap- 
tain of the Wooden Soldiers 
was heard saying to his men, 
“ That was a brave deed, my 
men. Let us ever honor the 
Wax Doll.” 


85 ' 


THE MOTHER EAGLE’S STORY. 


THE MOTHER EAGLE’S STORY. 



A family of Eagles lived in 
the Toy Closet They had 
charge of the children’s Bank. 
When pennies were put into 
the Mother Eagle’s bill, she 
would lean forward and feed 
them to the young Eagles. 
They pretended to swallow the 
pennies, but, instead, dropped 
them into the Bank. 

“ I do not wonder that I 
heard the clock strike to-night,” 
said the Mother Eagle to the 
assembled Toys. “ This has 
been such an exciting day ! 
Did you see Bella snatch me 


from the closet and run off 
with me ? ” 

“ I did,” said the Paris Pig ; 
“ for she knocked me over ; 
but go on with your story, 
Mother Eagle.” 

“ Bella took me to the school- 
room and the children crowded 
around her saying, ‘ O, Bella ! 
is there enough ? ’ 

“‘The bank is heavy,’ said 
Bella, ‘but a good paint box 
costs a great deal.’ 

“ Then the children put pen- 
nies into my bill one after an- 
other, and I fed them to my 
young ones. We always click 
and gulp in a funny way as we 
take the pennies, so that the 
children shall enjoy feeding 
us. 

“ ‘ The doctor says it will be 


86 


THE MOTHER EAGLE’S STORY. 


a whole year before Jimmy can 
walk,’ said Bella ; ‘ a paint box 
will be lovely for him, and his 
mother is too poor to buy such 
things.’ 

“ At this Allan came back 
to the bank. He had only 
given a little money before. 

“ ‘ The old Eagle looks hun- 


“ ‘ Look at the old Eagle,’ 
said Henry. ‘ How pleased 
she is ! ’ 

“ Pleased ! I should think 
I was. I should have, liked 
to scream with delight ! 

“To think that the Bank was 
full, and that the money we 
had worked for was to give so 



gry yet,’ said he. Then he fed 
me so fast from his purse that 
I nearly choked. ‘ Halloo ! 
this nickel doesn’t go down ! 
The bank is full ! ’ 

“ And it really was ! T ry 
as we might we could not swal- 
low another coin. 


much joy to poor lame Jimmy.’* 
“ Three cheers for the 
Eagles,” said the Wooden 
Soldier. 

“ And three cheers for the 
children, bless their generous 
hearts ! ” said the Mother 
Eagle. 


87 


A JOLLY VISITOR. 



SANTA CLAUS TOLD THEM ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM TOY-LAND. 


A JOLLY VISITOR. 


“ I like to make a noise in 
the world ! ” said the Drum ; 
“ it is what I was made for. 
But this is the first time I ever 
had a chance to speak. Usu- 
ally I can only say ' Rub-a- 
dub-dub ; ’ and not even that 
unless some one beats me ! ” 
Just' as he was about to begin 
his story, the Rocking Horse 
said, “Excuse me, Mr. Drum, 
but I have important news to 


tell. There is to be a visitor 
in the Nursery to-night.” 

“ A visitor ! Dear me ! ” 
said the Walking Doll. “ Then 
we must all hurry home, I 
suppose.” 

“ No,” said the Rocking 
H orse ; “ don’t be frightened. 
But guess who is coming?” 

“The Nurse?” said the 
White Duck, waddling toward 
the Closet. 


88 


A JOLLY VISITOR. 


“ No, not the Nurse.” 

“The Doctor?” asked the 
Wax Doll. 

“ No,” said the Rocking 
Horse, tossing his head in 
delight. 

“ Bella walking in her sleep?” 
said the Frog, jumping up to 
the Rocking Horse’s head qis 
he spoke. 

“ All wrong I ” said the 
Horse, now prancing gaily 
with the excitement of his 
grand secret. “ Oh ! can’t you 
guess ? Well, Fll tell the 
Drum.” 

When the Drum heard the 
whispered name he rolled over 
and over with joy. Then, 
standing on one of his heads, 
he called out, “ Listen! Santa 
Claus is coming! It is the 
night before Christmas.” 

“ Oh ! Of course ! ” said 
Doll Rosy. “ Why didn’t I 
remember ! ” 


“Yes, and there are the 
stockings ! ” said a Brownie, 
running to the fireplace. 

Just then there was a rust- 
ling in the chimney and down 
came Santa Claus, plumper 
and rosier and jollier than ever. 

A merry time they had then, 
I assure you. Santa Claus 
told all the latest news from 
Toy-land; and the Toys told 
him about their delightful holi- 
day nights, when they had told 
stories to each other. 

At last, Santa Claus said he 
really must get to work ; and 
the Toys, bidding him good- 
bye, went back to the Toy 
Closet. They knew as well as 
you and I do that Santa Claus 
never likes any one about when 
he is filling the stockings. 







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